Influencers

In the documentary “The Redeem Team,” about the 2008 Gold medal-winning USA Men’s Olympic basketball team, a domino effect occurred.

Almost the entire team had gone out to party after practice until nearly dawn. When they returned to their rooms, they met the late Kobe Bryant on his way to work out. Instead of going out to party, he had gone to his room and rested for an early start the next day. Bryant’s teammates thought he was crazy, but by the end of that week, the entire team followed his example.

Everyone has influence. We may not be a Kobe, LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, but how we live and play sports can be an example to others. When Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, visited the Israelite camp after they left Egypt, he got a first-hand view of how things were run. Jethro saw Moses judging and settling disputes from sunup to sundown. Jethro was concerned and encouraged Moses to reorganize and put trusted men over smaller groups to handle minor disputes, and then the larger issues would come to Moses and the Lord.

When Jethro saw that Moses would wear himself out doing things the old way, he used their relationship to guide him to a better plan. That is influence.

Matthew 12:34 says, “For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” What is in us, who we truly are, is revealed in our words, attitude and behavior – and they impact others.

Use your influence to help others and point to Jesus wherever possible.